Hindraf can Now Sue

The following article about a recent decision in South Africa relevant to the Indian struggle in Malaysia has been published in the media worldwide.

Indians interested in a lawful struggle not only against the Malaysian government's atrocities against them but also against the collaborators who supported them must read and act on accordingly.

The relevant action and its outcomes now offers Indians now an unparallelled opportunity to take their case to the High Court in London. Its now up to Hindraf's leadership to act and to do so courageously.

The Article below opens the way for the High Court Action in London. Here is the article:

In a major court ruling, victims of South Africa's apartheid era have won the right to sue General Motors , IBM and other multi-national corporations for complicity in human rights abuses.

A federal judge in New York gave the green light on Wednesday for class actions against the corporations under US law allowing rights claims from abroad to be addressed in a US court.

The decision came more than six years after victims' groups first began litigation against the string of auto makers, computer giants and banks who allegedly aided the South African government in its violent repression of blacks.

Michael Hausfeld, one of the lawyers representing the South African plaintiffs, hailed "a major advancement in international law".

Hausfeld's firm said that a trial was not expected until 2011.

In her 144-page ruling, Judge Shira Scheindlen said that the plaintiffs could pursue claims against Daimler, GM and Ford "for aiding and abetting torture ... extrajudicial killing, and apartheid".

She also cleared the way for lawsuits against IBM for "aiding and abetting arbitrary denationalisation and apartheid", and against Rheinmetall, the German parent company of Swiss-based arms manufacturer Oerlikon, for "aiding and abetting extrajudicial killing and apartheid".

The plaintiffs have also been given the opportunity to amend and refile claims against Tokyo-based computer company Fujitsu.

Other claims that the South African victims had fought to bring to court - including against Barclays and UBS banks - were rejected.

Khulumani, a South African organisation that helps apartheid victims and is one of the plaintiffs in the court action, on Thursday hailed the court decision.

"We are convinced that this lawsuit, should it be successful, will go a long way in satisfying members' material needs; and that will go a long way in contributing to social reconciliation," said Khulumani director Marjorie Jobson.

Gopal Raj Kumar

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

GREAT!base on indepence fundamental,everyone entitled for equal rights!thus get this ruling gov to payback for creating sosioeconomic imbalance.